Through the Woods
by SUGARCOMACUPCAKE
Summary: Neglecting your fears for curiosity, even for a brief moment, has dire consequences. Armin knew this, but he'd never expected that following that figure through the woods would tear him apart stitch by stitch. And he loves every second of it.


Reading in the woodlands near the village of Maria where I reside isn't an uncommon practice for me. In fact, it's a routine. This is my place of serenity, a place free of all the things I despise and full of what I love. There's no bustle of people scouring the markets along the busy town streets, horse-drawn carts noisily trampling and separating the granules of gravel that made up the roads sending it flying into an innocent bystander's eye, people screaming at each other about unfair prices to get a bargain that won't even be worth it in the long run.

During my time of solitude and observation out here, I've pondered and realized that the source of all of my pet peeves came from people, humans just like me. Out here I definitely don't have that problem. An old children's tale about evil beings roaming this place have scared most of the middle-aged folk and even some of the more gullible elders. How could a place so beautiful yet pointless do any harm?

My favorite spot which I am currently occupying allows me to remove my shoes and dip my toes into crystal clear, yet somehow blue water. If you are curious as to how clear it is, it is to the extent that I can see a perfect reflection of myself in it if the water's smooth, almost glass-like surface isn't disturbed. That disturbance rarely happens, probably because creatures and nature itself are afraid of trying. It appears as if touching it would leave it's entirety shattered into a million sharp pieces that would cause bloodshed for miles. Not to mention the entire perimeter of the body is curtained with willows, ferns and brush of all kinds. If these "evil beings" did exist, they could easily catch me off guard, strangle me, and ravenously devour my lifeless body. Yet the disturbing images and thoughts that race through my head don't detract from this place's marvelousness. I don't dare lay an aggressive hand on it, though it's useful for seeing the blond strands of hair on my head that I need to lay back into place each time the almost undetectable cool breeze scatters them about in every which way.

To top it all off, I always come here with a new book in my grasp. I'm a speedy reader, usually able to finish a book in a day or two. It's gotten to the point where I refuse to indulge and binge on reading anywhere but here. Doing it anywhere else just doesn't feel right, sort of the feeling you get when you're trying to be friendly and casual toward complete strangers. This is what I love; quiet, peace and a hint of danger to keep me alert. The practice has grown from a habit to an addiction, admittedly. Some days, unable to put my book down for a lack of better words, I won't even notice that the sky has grown dark and stars have began sprinkling the black canvas until I close it. Eren and Mikasa, my best friends and housemates, worry but don't dare come after me. Despite what I previously said, I don't think they're gullible, they have good reason for being afraid in their case. Whilst they believe my supposed ingenuousness is what drives me to come here, again, I can't place blame on them. Even more so because of the things people in our village do and say. Oh, seems I've forgot to put this on the hate list. They usually beat me up in an alley, calling me a witch or something. It doesn't really bug me, at least not as much as it used to, but it's still painful. Eren and Mikasa try to save me when they can, but even they can't always be there. We have responsibilities, after all.

It's not only the neighborhood bullies that call me crazy. Rumors spread across our small town faster than wildfire, not to mention nothing really flickers out because anything that could be labeled even slightly exciting never happens around here. I've heard everything, to be honest. People calling me a weirdo to accusing me of witchcraft. This doesn't bother me, it shouldn't be a bother. I have the best friends I could ever ask for, after all.

Looking up from my almost too-focused reading, I begin to wonder if the rumors are true when I see something peculiar. Peculiar would be an understatement in this case. It slowly emerged from the center of the pond, a faint blue glow ensconced in what I could only describe as appearing like a cross between cobwebs and tuile. I try everything from blinking to pinching myself. Based on the results from those feeble tests, what's in front of me is real.

"Hello?"

I call out softly, standing with some difficulty due to my legs acquiring that pins-and-needles feeling. The figure pivots, and I think I see a face. What I make out to be its eyes glance south, the direction leading farther away from the village. Returning to its original stance, it beckons me with a piece of the odd white material blowing in the wind. I can do nothing but stand there, shocked, when a path appears on the pond, leading across it. Its material looks similar to ice, but also has a bluish tint. Swearing in the back of my mind that my curiosity will kill me one day if not now, I place my book gently on the ground and position a cautious foot atop the newly-formed bridge. Allowing a gulp of air into my system for what I hadn't realize was the first time in seconds, my gaze moves to the sky above me. It, too, is a shade of icy blue reminiscent of every strange occurrence in these past few moments. Another step forward. Another, and another.

_The worst that could happen is I fall in, right?_

The worst is right. I never said the ominous water didn't terrify me. I know by now that the substance I'm relying on for support isn't slick. That's a bit comforting. Once the silhouette notices me following, it continues. I pick up speed. I can hear my heart in my throat.

"Wait!"

Trying to cry out to it, I barely notice that I've reached the other side. The path shatters just as I'd imagine the water would, without the shards and bloodshed. Though my mind is thought to be logical to a fault, I have no doubt that this is real. The thing mysteriously passes through the thicket, luring me deeper into the woods that were said to kill even the strongest men, but I feel no fear. Scattered leaves and thin branches scratch at and tickle my nose when it's my turn to pass through. As I spiral deeper and deeper, the glow gets ever so slowly fainter, but also looks more human. I don't stop. When my feet and calves begin to burn, just before I decide to turn around, I hear it. The relaxing, soothing sound of running water. No, it's not running, it's falling. I'm taken out of my daze and face to face with a small waterfall falling into a body of water too small to be considered a pond, but too big to be anything else. The water's just as clear as the pond's. A few boulders are arranged in the water, too neatly for them to be natural in my opinion. Groaning is heard, and at it I furrow my eyebrows. Taking a closer look, I gasp. Laying behind one of the rocks, partially submerged into the water is a girl with light blonde hair and pale skin. Said skin is dusted with scars, bruises and a metallic smell suddenly wafts from the area. Listening to my instincts, I jump on a rock nearby and say to her,

"What happened? Are you ok?"

Of course she's not ok, just look at her. Her body trembles as she tries to stand. Another gasp emerges when I get a look at her face. It's also beat up, but black marks cover it as well. Though neither of those things caught my attention as much as her eyes did. Such a light, clear, crystalline blue that I swear I could dive into and never want to leave again. The color of the water I'd grown to love, searching her mind, learning everything there is to know. The gorgeous orbs widen, she frantically stands and leaps through the waterfall. I reach out to her, but touch only solid rock when my hand plunges through the liquid barrier. Standing here, lost and confused, I know I've come far past the point of no return.


End file.
